A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus (hereinafter, “MRI apparatus”) is configured to emit a radio frequency (RF) pulse onto an examined subject (hereinafter, “patient”) and to receive echo signals emitted from the patient upon receiving the RF pulse, with the use of an RF coil. Further, the MRI apparatus is configured to generate a cross-sectional image of the patient by analyzing the received echo signals.
In a conventional example, an image is generated by using a plurality of RF coils. In that situation, each of the RF coils is individually connected to the apparatus main body. The larger the number of connected RF coils is, the larger the number of connection cables is, and the more complicated handling of the RF coils becomes. For this reason, development has progressed on wireless RF coils that are configured to transmit echo signals received thereby to the apparatus main body via a wireless communication.
Incidentally, a plurality of RF coils may be used at the same time in some situations. In those situations, if the RF coils were of a wired type, it would be possible to specify the installation position of each of the RF coils, on the basis of the connection destination ports to which the wired connections are made on the gantry side, when the RF coils are attached to the patient P. However, if the RF coils are of a wireless type, it is not possible to specify the installation position of each of the RF coils, because no such connections to the ports are made.